Newswise — Policymakers in many countries are determined to develop artificial intelligence (AI) within their borders because those lawmakers view AI as essential to both national security and economic growth. Some countries have proposed that they adopt AI sovereignty, where the nation develops AI for its people, by its people and within its borders.
However, Susan Ariel Aaronson, research professor of international affairs at the George Washington University, makes the distinction between policies designed to advance domestic AI and policies that – with or without direct intent – hamper the production or trade of foreign-produced AI, otherwise known as “AI nationalism”.
Aaronson is also co-principal investigator with the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society, TRAILS, where she leads research on data and AI governance. She is also the director of the GW Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, where she currently directs projects on AI protectionism and governing data for generative AI, ensuring that data is globally accurate, complete, and representative.
In the research article published by the Center for International Governance Innovation, Aaronson argues that AI nationalist policies in one country can make it harder for firms in another country to develop AI. If officials can limit access to key components of the AI supply chain, such as data, capital, expertise or computing power, they may be able to limit the AI prowess of competitors in country Y and/or Z. Moreover, Aaronson writes that if policy makers can shape regulations in ways that benefit local AI competitors, they may also impede the competitiveness of other nations’ AI developers. AI nationalism may seem appropriate given the importance of AI, but Aaronson’s paper illuminates how AI nationalistic policies may backfire and could divide the world into AI haves and have nots.
You can find the full article here. To speak with Prof. Aaronson, please contact GW Senior Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass [email protected].
-GW-
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